Gas holder



Dec. 14, 1943.

J. H. wlGGlNs 2,337,010

GAS HOLDER Filed Nov. l, 1940 Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNIIED STATES PATENTI OFFICE GAS HOLDER John H. Wiggins, chicago? nl. Application Noveber 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,836

Claims.

This invention relates to gas holder of the type that comprise a piston or vertica y-mov- Y able member which is adapted to rise and fall so` as to vary the volume of the gas space, and a stationary roof arranged above or over the piston.

One object of my present invention is to provide a gas holder, of the general type mentioned, in which the piston is of simple design, in expensive to construct, and of such shape or form that when it is in its extreme elevated position,

there is relatively little deadA space between the piston and the stationary roof of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide a gas holder of the general type first referred to, which is of such design that the counterweighting mechanism for the piston may be completely holsed inside of the apparatus, without the necessity of forming a center opening in the piston, or employing any other sealing means than the gas-tight fabric element attached to thefperipheral edge 'of the piston and to the side wall of the gas space. Other objects and desirable features. of my inventlon will be hereinafter pointed out. y

.'I'he gure of the drawing is a vertical'trans- Verse sectional view .of a'gas holder embodying one form of my invention, wherein the stationary roof constitutes the top wall of the gas space.

In the particular form of my invention herein illustrated, the gas space of the apparatus comprises a stationary side wall A, a stationary roof or top B that is pitched upwardly at its center, or that is substantially cone-shaped, and a bottom formed by a vertically-movable piston C, the peripheral edge of said piston being connected or joined by a flexible gas-tight fabric element D to the side wall A of the gas space. Said side wall is arranged in an elevated position, or is located at a point a considerable distance above the ground on which the apparatus is erected and the flexible element D is constructed so as to permit the piston C tohave a relatively great range of movement, i. e., upwardly into close proximity to, or into substantially nested relationship with the roof B, and downwardly a considerable distance below the bottom edge of the side wall A of the gas space, thereby producing a gas space of relatively great volume. The roof B of the gas space is attached to and supported by the side wall A of the gas space. 'I he side wall A of the gas space is supported or sustained in an elevated position above the surface of the ground, by any suitable type or kind of supporting structure. In the form of my invention hereinillustrated a cylindrical metal shell is used to form the side wall A of the gas space, and the lower end portion of said shell that is located below the point where the sealing element D is attached to the side wall of the gas space constitutes a supporting means A' for the side wall of the gas space. It is not necessary, however, that said supporting means A' be of gas-tight construction, -and as previously stated, any means could be used to support the side wall :A of the gas space.

In order that the piston C will be inexpensive to construct and strong enough to successfully perform its function, I prefer to make said piston substantially cone-shaped, or, in other words, have the pistony slope upwardly from its outer edge toward its center. In a piston of this shape the metal plates of which the piston is constructed take up the tension in the piston, thereby overcoming the necessity of using rods to reinforce and strengthen the piston. Another advantage of a piston of this general shape is that the piston conforms approximately to the shape of the top or roof B of the gas space, and hence, when the piston is in its extreme elevated position, it is in substantially nested relationship with the roof B and the dead space in the gas chamber of the apparatus is reduced to a minimum. Still another advantagev of such a piston is that itmay be easily hung on or suspended from chains, cables or similar exibledevices that constitute part of a counterweighting mechanism for the piston.

I prefer to equip the apparatus with such a counterweighting mechanism so asj to assist in the movement and control or speed of operation of the piston C. One novel feature of my present invention is that the co-acting parts ofthe apparatus are of such design or construction that the counterweighting mechanism can be completely housed inside of the apparatus, without the necessity of forming a center hole in the piston, or employing any other sealing means for the piston, than the fabric element D which is attached to the peripheral edge of the piston and to 'the side wall A of the gas chamber. Thus, as shown in the drawing, the roof B of the gas space has erected thereon a tubular housing E that projects upwardly from the center of said roof, said housing E being of gas-tight construction andarranged so that .the interior of same is in constant communication with the gas space of the apparatus. Chains, cables or other suitable' exible devices I that are attached to. the central portion of the piston C lead upwardly from same over sheaves or pulleys -2 arranged inside of the upper end portion oi the housing E. and thence downwardly from said pulleys to a weight 3A that moves vertically inside of the f housing E. Said housing is made long enough to provide for the vertical movement of said weight resulting from the rise and fall of the piston C,

and if it is desired to reduce theheigh't or overi all length of the housing E, a wall C' can'be lines in the drawing.

A gas holder of they construction above de oi said gas space and which is adapted to'movl upwardly into approximately nested relation with ton that constitutes the bottom or the gas space.

formed in the piston at the center of same to.

receive the weight l when the piston C is in extreme elevated position, as shown in broken scribed is inexpensive to build, because'it is com- .posed of only a `iew rugged parts oi simple deto provide a bottom for-said shell, inasmuch as the vertically-movable piston C, which isgasa gastight,`ilexible diaphragm attached to said piston and to the side wall of the gas space, a 'gas-tight housing on said roof whose interior isin communication with the gas space and a counterweighting mechanism for the piston po. sitioned inside of said housing. 3. A.- gas holder, having a gas space comprising a roof and a side wall, a vertically-movable piston that constitutes the bottom of the gas space,

, la gas-tight, ilexible diaphragm1 attached to said tight, constitutes the bottom of thegas chamber piston and to the side wall ofthe gas space, a gas-tight housing on said roof whose interior is in communication with' the Sas space, a 4counvterweightin'g .mechanism for the piston comprising sheaves or pulleys mounted in, the upper end such a gas holder is that it is easy yto keep in 'an operative condition, and frequent inspections of same are not absolutely necessary, inasmuch as there are no stufling boxes or similar chain or also supports the sheaves or pulleys of the counterweighting mechanism over which the weight .4. An apparatus of the kind described in claim 3 in which the piston is provided'with a well or depression adapted to receive said weight when the piston-is -in 'rieleated position.

5, A gas holder, having a gas space comprising a -vertical side wall, a substantially cone-shaped roof for `saidgas space, a gas-tigh housing prochains orl cables travel. And this highly desirment which is attached to the peripheral edge of 4the piston and to the side wail of the gas chamber. .v Having thus described my invention, what I v `claim as new vand desire to scure by Letters Patent` is: A

1.` A.' gas lholderhaving a gas space comprising -a stationary side wall, a substantially conef shaped stationary roof, a substantially coneshaped piston that constitutes one horizontal wall jecting upwardly from the central portion of said bottom of the gas space and corresponding approximately in shape or form to the shape oi said roof so as to be capable of moving into substantially nested relation with said roof, a gastight, ilexible diaphragm attached to the peripheral vedge or said piston and to the side wall of the gasspace, and'a counterweighting mechanism for the piston comprising sheaves or pulleys mounted inside or the` housing adjacent theupper end orsaine, a vertically-movable weight in said housing, and flexible devices extending over said sheaves and attachedat their opposite ends to the weight and to the piston.

f JOHN H. WIGGINS. 

